The process of going online with WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) consists of converting wired network signals into wireless signals and supplying them to terminals that are WiFi-enabled such as computers, cell phones, and PDA, for example. If a mobile terminal (e.g., a cell phone) has a WiFi function, the mobile terminal can go online without going through a mobile data communications network when WiFi wireless signals are present and thus avoid being charged network use fees. WiFi connections are provided by wired networks, such as home ADSL and small area broadband. Many restaurants, cafés, and other establishments now provide their customers with WiFi service.
A function for sharing the local WiFi password has been added to some conventional devices and/or operating systems executing on such devices. After obtaining the WiFi password for a public network, a user can select a selectable element displayed in a user interface displayed in one of such devices to upload the WiFi password via an application installed on the device to a server such that the WiFi password can be shared with other users. After the other users download the WiFi password from the server onto their respective devices, these other users can directly connect to the WiFi network without having to obtain or manually input the password of that WiFi network. The WiFi sharing scheme of these conventional devices and/or operating systems allow the sharing of the password of a local WiFi network to be very convenient.
However, there are serious security defects in allowing any user who has obtained the WiFi password to freely share it with other users. For instance, conventionally, anyone can perform WiFi password sharing without the permission of the owner of the WiFi network (e.g., the café owner associated with providing the WiFi network at his or her business). Although the owner of a WiFi network may not wish to share the WiFi password of his own wireless network freely with any user, as soon as a user obtains the WiFi account password, he may share it with others without the knowledge or permission of the WiFi network owner.
Existing schemes impose no restrictions on the parties that may activate wireless network WiFi password sharing functions. As such, anyone may activate the password sharing function of the wireless network that is administered by another person, which may cause security breaches.